By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava
Black Lab Cafe, the dog-themed restaurant at 420 Amsterdam (between West 80th and 81st streets), is closing on February 17th. Black Lab opened in 2022, initially as a place where people could go with their pets, but last year it transitioned to human-only due to ”challenges we’ve faced in maintaining a safe and comfortable environment for all our patrons.” The business is a family affair, run by Lise Evans and her sons Kris Powers and Nik Powers. ”Unfortunately after trying our very best, we keep losing money on Black Lab Cafe,” Evans wrote to West Side Rag in an email. “It was so fun when we had all the dogs coming, but sadly people and pups did not bring much business.”
Vuori, an “athleisure” clothing company, has signage up at 201 Columbus Avenue (between West 69th and 70th streets). The opening is expected to take place this spring. Founded in 2014, in Encinitas, California, Vuori sells activewear inspired by a “coastal California lifestyle.” The brand is popular for its athletic, workout, and everyday lifestyle apparel. The space used to be Allbirds, which closed in January. This will be the fourth NYC shop for Vuori, which also has locations on the Upper East Side, in SoHo, and the Flatiron District. (Thanks to Nicole and Jared for the tips.)
Izzy’s Smokehouse at 660 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 92nd and 93rd streets) closed on January 30th. “It’s been a pleasure serving the community,” reads a sign posted on the storefront. “We thank you for your business and thank you for choosing Izzy’s.” The kosher, Texas-style BBQ restaurant opened on the UWS in 2021. There is another Izzy’s location in Brooklyn between Crown Heights and Prospect Lefferts Gardens.
Yasouvlaki, a Greek restaurant, is planning to open at West 89th Street and Amsterdam in early March. The restaurant serves traditional Greek cuisine, including spreads (tzatziki, hummus), salads, pitas, platters, skewers, and gyros. They have a location on the Upper East Side at 1568 Third Avenue. (Thanks to Morgan for the tip.)
SLT, an exercise studio, plans to open in May at 610 Columbus Avenue (between West 89th and 90th streets). This will be the second Upper West Side location for SLT, which offers group exercise classes using pilates equipment (the other is in the Ansonia building at 2109 Broadway between West 73rd and West 74th streets). SLT stands for Strengthen, Lengthen, Tone and is a “high intensity, low-impact workout,” a representative wrote to West Side Rag. They have seven studios in NYC and formerly had one at 580 Columbus Avenue (at West 88th Street), which closed in 2020 during the pandemic. (Thanks to Maggie for the tip.)
Frame, a coffee shop, is “coming soon” to 2459 Broadway (between West 90th and 91st streets). Frame already has a location on the UWS at 305 Amsterdam between 74th and 75th streets (on the second level, above Hummus Place), which opened in November 2023, as well as one on the Upper East Side. (Thanks to Marsha for the tip.)
Shah’s Halal Food has signage up at 720 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 95th and 96th streets), replacing The Halal Guys. Shah’s started in 2005 as a food cart in Richmond Hill, Queens. It now has more than 80 franchise locations, including two in Manhattan in Midtown and the West Village. The menu includes meat platters, gyros, salads, sandwiches, and more. (Thanks to Susan for the tip.)
The Openings & Closings column wouldn’t be possible without our many tipsters: thank you! Anyone can send tips about openings and closings in the neighborhood to info@westsiderag.com.
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Feels unfair re Black Lab Café. I loved the idea of a dedicated place for people who want to eat/drink and socialize with dogs to come together. Instead, we have just about every other space on the UWS overrun with dogs that are almost never service animals and in violation of the health code. Being in small quarters with dogs and food mixing is bad enough, especially for those of us with allergies, but multiple people have brought dogs to the laundromat recently, in two different hair salons, and event to Cocoon (the new membership-based kids play place). Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person who takes offense to this post-pandemic erosion of social norms. Truthfully, I only wish my young children were greeted with as much welcome in the neighborhood.
You definitely aren’t the only one. Restaurants and supermarkets are no place for animals. Service animals are one thing and I’m not referring to someone’s emotional support animal, more like someone with a physical handicap and need an animal’s assistance. If something is outdoors and you want to bring your pet, that’s fine but indoors, especially in close quarters with others and food, no.
Funny, I feel that almost every space on the UWS is overrun with children! More dogs, please.
Children don’t poop all over the street and peoples property.
You’re so evolved, Tim!
100% agreed! And the majority of them are very badly behaved (parents to blame, sorry). And PS: Isn’t it entirely unfair to bring children into this world at this stage? Is anyone who is having children paying attention to what’s happening in the world? That kind of suspension of disbelief is literally breathtaking. It’s downward from here, unless you’re in the 1%.
What an uplifting spirit!
Where are the next Einsteins, Picassos, Spielbergs, MLKs, hell, the next Aaron Judges, going to come from if we all stop having babies? We need the people who help make living “in the world” bearable & pleasurable!
Young children can’t use the toilet but at least they wear diapers! Put a diaper on your dog or keep it outside. I saw a dog poop in the fruit section at Trader Joe’s last month (it then pooped in the checkout area) and now I simply tell people it’s rude to bring their dogs into the grocery store.
i feel like i’m the only person… you’re not, and I empathize and understand why you feel that way
When did the ACE Hardware @ 90/Columbus close?
ACE downsized a couple years ago, they’re right next door (thank God!)
It moved down the block.
Brickman’s Ace Hardware at 610 Columbus Ave is still open. What the photo in this post shows is an adjacent space (608 Columbus) that Brickman’s vacated several years ago.
It didn’t; they downsized and what’s shown is the half they vacated.
Is the only hardware store left in the neighborhood now on Amsterdam and 99th?
Beacon on Amsterdam between 77 and 78 – they are great!
The new Beacon hardware is better than the old Beacon hardware where the old ownership seemed to play favorites with customers. The new owners since 2020 are Yemeni too.
And Basics Plus on Broadway between 83-84
No. Mega Building Supply Bway 87-88
99th and B Way as well.
And University Hardware on Broadway and 113th
There’s Mega Building Supply on Broadway between 87th and 88th.
A lot of stuff in or near the lower 90s this week. Really looking forward to Yasouvlaki opening.
Izzy’s was doomed due to the long standing scaffolding on the building. No one knew it was there.
I really doubt that the orthodox and kosher community didn’t know it was there. It was crowded when it opened and then the crowds faded. It was overpriced even for kosher BBQ and not that good, the BBQ was done in Brooklyn and trucked here.
Yup. Just like most BBQ these days. The price just makes it out of reach for most people to frequent it enough to make it sustainable. Pio Pio is getting to that point as well. I remember maybe 6-8 years ago when the Matador Family Platter was around $45. We used to get it once a week. Now it is almost $80. Now we only order from the visit on special occasions and dine in instead of takeout. I can’t mentally do $80 takeout. I’ll just cook myself.
Pre-Biden.
We ate at Pio Pio once and it was good but it was over $60 for basic chicken, rice and beans etc. Went to El Malecon on Saturday and got a whole chicken plus a ton of rice, two different types of beans, a salad and big plate of plantains for $45.
I was like “I could’ve sworn there had been a SLT at 88th and Columbus,” and behold,there had been. So I guess the new one will replace the old ace hardware space, since ace hardware moved one storefront over.
I don’t think the problem with Black Lab cafe was the dogs and people. . They lasted two years with dogs and people. I think the problem was letting dogs off leash. It meant only people with social dogs and people who really love dogs would go there. I only went once because my dog was miserable there.
I am super excited about Frame. But that is 3 coffee shops on 4 corners!
I am on my phone so can ot reply to comments. Ace hardware just moved down one store front. They are still there at 90th.
The hardware store on Columbus and 90th is not closing. That storefront is some extra space that I think they used to use, but has been vacant for some time. The hardware store is still open.
Not an ideal location for Frame Coffee Shop. It’s right next door to Brazini’s. The vacant store has probably been playground for the rats living at Brazini’s. .
I understand Barzini’s got cleared to reopen too
Boris and Horton the dog cafe in the East Village really struggled because people would hang out with their dogs – but not buy much to eat.
There is a new owner and supposedly will re-open.
https://evgrieve.com/2025/01/paws-itive-news-boris-horton-is.html
Shah’s Halal is incredible!! The retail locations beat taste of Halal Guys retail locations. I go to the one in North Brunswick, NJ whenever I’m down there. Super excited for this in the neighborhood.
Not surprised about The Black Lab Cafe, the space was small and quirky, and because of the food/animal health laws the food was served in the back, so really not conducive to making money, as the patrons were sitting in the front with their dogs on leashes. I honestly don’t know how one could make that idea work in a cafe, but they had a lot of heart for trying.
The fourth comment of this post by Lisa is so terrible. Seriously, this woman wants the human race to go extinct
Re: Matt’s comment,
Wow incredible about dog poop in TJ.
Recently saw a couple with a dog in a food store, who were so nasty to the store employee who explained dogs not allowed.
And as there were 2 people, clearly one could have stayed outside with the dog – but they did not.
The entitlement is mind-boggling
I’m not a dog person at all, and it grinds my gears even further when (service animals excepted) their owners bring them along to every establishment from Whole Foods to Barnes and Noble. But Black Lab Cafe always seemed like a fun, quirky little idea and I’m so sad the owners couldn’t make it work out. Their statement is heartbreaking. I hope they can find another worthwhile venture.
I agree with a previous commenter’s statement about the erosion of social norms since the pandemic. Maybe even a little prior. And I’m not just referring to unwanted dog patronage in Target.
Blacklab actually stopped having dogs maybe a year ago? Since then they have just been a regular restaurant.
I went there back when it was still a dog cafe and we had fun and the food was surprisingly good. Once there were no more dogs it didn’t really have much to make it stand out, but I understand that the logistics around having dogs was just too difficult.
Prolonged scaffolding will shutter any business.
No surprise about Black Lab. It was a place for doggers to squat and nurse the same coffee for three hours. Great for doggers and their entitled community, but lousy for business.
Black Lab Cafe – amazed it stayed open this long. Dogs don’t have any money….
Frame – excited to hear another coffee place is opening. We don’t have enough here on the UWS…. 🙂